Improve Your Vocabulary in Three Easy Steps: Step Three

Click here to read first step

Click here to read second step

Last time, we discussed Step Two, which was: Reference, like dictionaries, encyclopedias, etc. But to spare you from having to run for a dictionary every time a new word pops up, you can save a lot of time by getting a handle on Step Three:
3. Roots. The cool thing about roots, which are word parts, is that they are like master keys. I'll explain: When you come across a word you don't know, you're running into a locked door, in a way, right? And when you look up the definition for that word, you are finding the key that unlocks that door, and as long as you know that word, the door stays unlocked. Good, but I'm sure you see this problem coming a couple of blocks away: there are a lot of doors. All those hundreds of thousands of words that people use-there are going to be quite a few we don't know. Do we memorize tons of definitions? Well, the good news is that we can-we certainly have already. Heck, we've memorized an astonishing amount by the time we're two years old, haven't we, and can babble on about an impressive array of topics and even make up stories.

But the better news is this: Instead of adding keys to our already huge, clanking janitor's key ring, we can borrow the super's key ring, with the master keys. The master keys are the roots, together with other word parts. Here is a basic definition of word parts:

Root: Basic meaning. Sometimes a word consists of just the root, such as flex or script, but more often you will see the root appearing with additions, of:

Prefix: Word part placed in front of the root, for example:

(dis)trust, (re)work, (mis)spell

More than one prefix may appear:

(dis)(en)chant, (in)(con)gruent

Suffix: Word part placed after the root, for example:

mut(able), tenta(tive), funda(ment)

More than one suffix may be used:

beauti(ful)(ly), vent(ure)(some)

Of course, both prefixes and suffixes may be used:

(ir)(re)place(able), (in)nate(ly)

Words that are formed by adding various prefixes and suffixes are called derivatives. Here are the many derivatives of the root JECT, "to throw":

project, projected, projecting, projection, projectionist, projector, projectile, eject, ejected, ejecting, ejection, ejector, interject, interjection, interjected, conjecture, conjectural, reject, rejection,rejected

Words can also be formed by putting two roots together. For example:

thermo (heat) + meter (measure) = that which measures heat

demo (people) + cracy (rule) = rule by the people

In my next series of articles, I will introduce you to a variety of prefixes, suffixes and roots from Greek and Latin, two of the most influential languages on English. Here are some Greek prefixes to get you started:

a, an - without (amoral, atheism, anaerobic)

anti, ant - against (antibiotic, antisocial, antagonist)

cata - down (catalyst, catapult)

dia - across, through, thoroughly (diagonal, diaphanous, diaspora)

epi - on, upon (epidermis, epitaph, epitomize)

ec - out, outside (eccentric, ecstasy, ectomorph)

eu - good, pleasant (eugenics, euphony, euthanasia)

hyper - over, excessive (hyperbole, hyperactive, hypertrophy)

hypo - under, less than (hypodermic, hypothesis, hypoglycemia)

para, par - alongside (parallel, paraphrase, paranormal)

peri - around, near (perigee, periphery, periscope)

syn, sym, syl, sys- together, with (syllable, symposium, syntax, system)

If you are unfamiliar with any of the demonstration words given, you know what to do: Look 'em up and write 'em down!